Occupy Comics: a movement born in art, joined by artists who created the imagery, Alan Moore and David Lloyd

a little spat actually started a while ago when Frank Miller, a comic book author who is both american and awful wrote a vapid "rant" calling occupy activists losers, louts, an unruly mob... http://frankmillerink.com/ this was a month ago and i didn't bother to repost it since i don't care what a twit like miller thinks he believes about a social movement so massive you need perspective to understand, any more than i care what adam carolla the hack comic with even less talent thinks of it. http://nydn.us/ujVIgD ever since i had the misfortune of hearing him interviewed by marc maron - an interview in which he stated that "the vast majority" of “welfare” recipients (of course, not understanding what welfare actually is in real life, like most critics of its “recipients”) are exactly like the only two he ever knew, his parents, who were depressed from a "sedentary lifestyle." yeah, i thought his dumbass schtick was ironic like dice. turns out no. frank miller and he are very similar in this respect, what you see is what you get. not a lot going on upstairs. miller's work is everything everyone who dislikes comic books, dislikes about comic books, which you can totally tell within two pages of sin city.

the dislike between he and alan moore, the comic writer who is both genius and english, is sustained and ongoing. rightfully so, given the delta between them in talent, following, let alone sensibility, moore is insulted by comparisons by stupid reviewers.

if you're not aware, alan moore is the guy who wrote V for Vendetta*, a comics series which birthed the guy fawkes mask as a symbol of rebellion against the status quo, against the ruling class, and the centrality of the use of art in this pursuit. and whose icon was again repurposed for Anonymous in their activism, and in turn the Occupy movement. if you haven't read V for Vendetta yet, seriously do so, especially if you're interested in Occupy and hackitvism even peripherally. if you know me i would be glad to lend you my copy, but don't remove my post its where i marked my favorite pages. it's no overstatement to say that having read V has shaped my view of Occupy and of Anonymous and by extension, Adbusters. i truly feel that the ideas espoused by V in that book, which are themselves drawn off of classic themes and philosphy, artfully composed largely in alliteration, using the letter V. the last chapter, where it leaves off is named “vox populi,” which is where the activists of today have picked up.

anyway, i didn't want to go on like that, but i have been waiting for alan moore's response to Occupy – and particularly that mask ** and i finally got it.

the man is a genius, and i've been wondering for a long time how he feels about his imagery being used, what it must feel like to conceive of such a movement, and watch it play out directly referencing his work... he says it's like a character he created 30 years ago has escaped the realm of fiction. yeehaw!

frank miller would never see such a thing, ever, because people who like his shit have no attention span, let alone imagination.
and so here it is, an interview with alan moore, talking about Occupy, dismissing miller, link goes directly to Part 2 of the interview, the relevant section but i recommend you read all of it.http://bit.ly/vjuTUi

alan moore has joined Occupy Comics, an endeavor that started way back in October, when the movement was less than a month old. Comic artists who've signed on will all contribute to a volume of work which will be released digitally to limit costs of production, they will be paid but they have all agreed to donate 100% of their earnings (not just profits) to Occupy. http://occupycomics.com/2011/10/11/the-blueprint/

and here is another article about the use of the mask dreamed up for V, and sharing a little chuckle at how the corporation time warner – with whom there is no love lost – is profiting off the popularity of anti-corporate demonstrations through mask sales.

go here to learn about and support the project. http://kck.st/t7ZDCV looking for a worthy charity for your year-end giving? i can't think of a better one.

*the guy fawkes imagery, i believe, was actually conceived at least in part by david lloyd, the artist with whom moore worked on V for Vendetta. David Lloyd has also signed on to Occupy Comics, and has gone to demonstrations to see his image in action. How weird must that feel?

** not to miller, i'd prefer if no one ever responded to miller, but sadly lots of people gave that "rant" traction just by getting angry about it. you may as well ask simon cowell what he thinks...

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